Most of us have an old smartphone laying around in a desk drawer somewhere. But did you know that smartphones are one of the biggest sources of tech waste? Millions of usable phones are thrown out every year. One of the best ways to recycle your old phone is by using it as a dash cam every time you go for a ride. It can not only

Hard Facts on Electronic Waste

In the United States alone, 57 million phones are thrown out every year. Nearly 3 of every 4 phones goes directly to a landfill, where toxic substances are released into the environment. Here are a couple more reasons to recycle your smartphone…

• The USA produces 9.4 million tons of e-waste yearly
• The EPA estimates that less than 13% of electronics are recycled
• We’re throwing away valuable materials. In every one million cell phones tossed, we’re losing 35,000 pounds of copper, 772 pounds of silver, 75 pounds of gold, and 33 pounds of palladium. If we recycled all of the wasted copper, silver, and gold we throw out, the electronic sector could have a $12 billion capital gain.
• Less than one of three electronic items are recycled safely via the EPA’s “best practices.”

Cell phones are one of the most commonly replaced electronics. Americans usually receive a new phone every year. By simply utilizing your old smartphone after receiving a new one, you’ll help to reduce your carbon footprint and protect the environment from harmful materials.

Reasons to Use a Dash Cam

While there are many ways to recycle a phone, one of the best options is to use it as a dash camera if you ride a bicycle. Recording your rides is critically important if you’re ever involved in a crash with a motorist. A recorded video bypasses the “he said she said” when discussing the crash with police, and video is always more reliable than witness statements.

Setting Up the Dash Cam

Here’s what you’ll need to equip your cellphone to the handlebar of your bicycle:

Step One: Attach the corner brace to your phone. Apply one strip of Velcro to the back of your old phone, and the second strip to one end of the corner brace.

Trim the excess Velcro from the corner brace. If you’ve purchased heavy-duty Velcro, it shouldn’t have any difficulty holding.

Step Two: Attach the corner brace to the bike. You’ll want to insert the untouched side of the corner side underneath your two pipe clamps to hold the phone up while you ride. First, unscrew the pipe clamps and position them on your handlebar. You’ll usually want this to be pretty close to the center of your handlebar so the video will record as much as possible.

Slide the corner brace underneath the pipe clamps and tighten! If you’re worried about ruining the finish on your handlebars with the pipe clamps, you can put a small piece of inner tube over the area where you’re attaching the clamps.

Step Three: Start the app! You will not need any kind of WiFi or cellular service to run a dash cam app on your smart phone. Just launch the app and head out.

Using a homemade dash cam is not a flawless option. You’ll need to remember to start the app every time you use your bicycle. You’ll also need to remember to take your phone off your bike before locking it up at a bike rack or fence, because it’s possible someone will steal it. Although it’s not perfect, you’ll have a significantly cheaper and more environmentally-friendly way to record your rides than using a GoPro or expensive alternative. If you are involved in a crash with a motorist, a recycled dash cam can be the difference between a simple insurance claim and a year long headache.

American homes generate more than 250 million pounds of garbage each year. With the sheer volume of waste being produced, it’s unlikely that all of it is being disposed of properly.

We’ve become better at separating garbage into materials that can be recycled and those that go into landfills, but there’s still a lot of waste that ends up in the wrong places. Why? Because, in many instances, people aren’t aware of what they should do with it.

Waste that is improperly disposed of does more than take up space in landfills. It can create serious health and environmental problems by allowing hazardous materials to enter groundwater and soil.

The following guide from Junk-ITT, details the proper way to dispose of virtually any type of waste generated by the average American household. If you’re not sure whether something should go in the garbage can, the recycling bin or be hauled away by a reputable junk removal service, consult this chart for assistance.

There are currently 1.4million edible bananas thrown away each day in the UK, which is not only a waste of food but valuable resources too. Snact’s aim is to take these bananas and produce a range of delicious, wholesome bars instead. The crowdfunding project has been launched to help them do this.

PRESS RELEASE

BANAN-ARCHY IN THE UK

Become a Snactivist and join the #deliciousprotest

Snact are on a mission to help save the UK’s ugly and unwanted fruit from going to waste, but they need your help…

The creators of Snact have been saving unwanted and ugly fruit for the last few years, turning it into delicious fruit jerky. An amazing 1.4 million edible bananas are still being thrown away each and every DAY in Britain however.

The result is a ludicrous amount of wasted food, water and carbon, with most bananas having travelled half way across the world to reach us and using 95 litres of water per banana to grow.

Snact are looking to do something to reverse this trend, but they need your help in the fight to ‘create more taste and less waste’.

The brand have launched a Crowdfunding campaign to get an exciting new product range off the ground, in the form of a trio of banana snack bars.

‘There’s been a huge rise in popularity for raw and natural snack bars over the last few years, with the likes of Nakd leading the way. Almost all of these bars use dates as their base, which aren’t a source of food waste, yet bananas are the nation’s favourite fruit and make a better bar with a deliciously soft and moist texture. We hope through the range we can begin to stop nearly 500 million bananas going to waste each year – with one bar saving one banana.’ – Ilana Taub, Snact Co-Founder

Wrapped in cutting edge home-compostable packaging, Snact banana bars are about much more than just saving fruit from going to waste however and look to provide a balanced snack that is richer in both flavour and nutrients, all with less than 130 calories.

Available in three taste bud tantalizing flavours, Apple & Cinnamon Kick, Carrot & Spice Boost and Beetroot and Cacao Blast, each is jam-packed with fruit, veg, nuts and/or superfoods, ranging from quinoa and beetroot to pumpkin seeds and coconut. Vegan friendly and gluten free they provide a host of important vitamins and nutrients, without a flavouring, colourant or artificial sweetener in sight.

Ultimately the result is a tasty snack that provides you with slow-release energy and balanced nutrition to help fuel your day, whether you’ve a late night finish in the office ahead or are about to climb a mountain – they just happen to save the nation’s unwanted bananas in the process.

Get involved in the #deliciousprotest and head over to Snact’s Crowdfunding page, where you can become one of the first people in the country to try the bars – as well as getting your hands on some eco-friendly goodies, from ‘delicious protest’ kits with T-Shirts to knickers and reusable shopping bags. If you pledge over £100, you’ll even get an invite to an exclusive ‘banana party’.

The campaign, which will run for a month, kick starts on the 20th of July and ties in with a re-brand of Snact’s fruit jerky range. Visit www.crowdfunder.co.uk/deliciousprotest to find out more.

Other ways to become a Snactivist and join the #deliciousprotest

Have a bite and join the fight – try our fruit jerky and check out other brands that use surplus in delicious ways.

Give ugly fruit and veg some love. They’re more and more available – and often cheaper too. Send us photos of your best finds!

Do cool stuff with your leftovers. Have you tried baking banana peels yet?

Disposing of an old mattress used to be free – just a case of phoning the council to come and take it away. However, from April 2012 when most local authorities introduced bulky item collection fees, the disposal of mattresses instantly became considerably more expensive.

As a result, and despite the fact that most local councils have tried to ensure that the majority of mattresses they collect as bulky item waste will be recycled, many households now go for the DIY approach and lug their mattresses to landfill.

Left in landfill

Despite the fact that households using landfill think they are disposing of their old mattresses responsibly, the truth is that many of the components of beds and mattresses will not biodegrade but take up space in landfill as a hazardous waste product. For example, sprung mattresses typically contain 300 to 600 steel coils which will not biodegrade, but will instead remain wasted in the ground, whilst the chemicals used to make mattresses fire retardant can readily leach into the soil and local water systems, jeopardising public safety in both the short and long term.

Fly-tipping faults

Of course, there are also those who create their own ‘landfill’ or fall foul of rogue waste disposal companies in their efforts to dispose of their mattresses.

The UK has seen a rise in rogue ‘waste disposal’ companies who claim to remove and recycle bulky waste at lower prices than local authorities (and always for cash of course), before dumping the items in out of the way areas.

As such, incidences of fly-tipping spiked in 2012/13 with a 20% increase (Source: DEFRA) following the introduction of those council collection costs, and have since averaged a rise of approximately 6% year on year. Fly-tipped mattresses can commonly be found on local streets and highways, not awaiting paid council collection, but just discarded. Another favoured spot for fly-tippers is out of the way country areas, which quickly become significant dumping grounds as once one item is discarded, other fly-tippers follow suit.

This rogue dumping has an extremely negative impact on local environments, not least because fly-tipping is…

● Ugly and distracting, causing unsightly problems in residential streets and rural beauty spots alike.
● Dangerous, as with any discarded rubbish and large items comes the risk of accidents, particularly to children who may particularly see items like mattresses as something to play on.
● Hazardous, as of course the fire-retardant chemicals which leach into landfill also affect the local areas where mattresses are fly-tipped and may even additionally compromise the health of any children who mistake fly-tipped mattresses as a fun zone or kill local wildlife – also a major concern as a significant amount of fly-tipping takes place on beauty spots and areas of natural interest.

Although fly-tipping is seen by the irresponsible as a free alternative to paying for council disposal or recycling costs, ultimately it is extremely costly to councils and to communities, as the cost of cleanups invariably passed back to the community in council tax fees, which have also seen a year on year rise in recent years.

So, as well as both being environmentally unfriendly, negative-impact disposal methods, what else do landfill and fly-tipping have in common? Essentially, the fact that they are both a waste of materials which can be extremely useful once recycled is another common factor which is also an extreme waste when you consider that it is actually possible to recycle 100% of all bed and mattress components.

Reasons to recycle

Recycling of beds and mattresses is a relatively straightforward process which involves the stripping down and recycling of bed bases and mattresses in order to collate component parts, such as:

● Steel – retrieved from box springs and mattress springs, steel can be recycled by combining with new steel to create many household and industrial items.

● Foam – retrieved from mattresses, much of the Polyurethane and Latex foam used in mattresses already contains plant oils from renewable sources such as castor beans and soy. Once the mattress is shredded, the foam can be retrieved and recycled into other types of padding and insulation, such as carpet backing and underlay.

● Wood – the wood used in bed base production, such as pine, spruce and fir, is sourced from renewable sources and is ideal for further recycling. Once retrieved from bed bases, the wood is generally chipped and recycled into pet litters, animal bedding, biomass fuel and garden products such as mulch and chippings.

● Fabrics – mattresses and bases include many textiles such as cotton, wool, rayon, sisal, coconut fibres and even silk, all of which can be retrieved and recycled back to the textiles industry for use in furniture upholstery, pillow stuffing and carpet making.

With all these reasons to recycle, it’s vital to ensure that households can access easy ways to recycle responsibly, through disposing of mattresses via recycling centres rather than landfill or by using professional collection and recycling services of reputable companies, such as Collect Your Old Bed, who are fully licensed and offer 100% assured recycling of all beds and mattresses.

‘There aren't enough good news stories in the world of environmentalism, which is why it's important to share them when they come along, because they show that we can make a difference and that things can get better.

This story celebrates the bouncing back of several animal species, which have been at risk of extinction, nit which are now starting to flourish, thanks to the fantastic work of conservationists around the globe.

You can find out more about the animals that are being brought back from the brink of extinction, which include the Arabian Oryx, the Giant Panda and the Stellar Sea Lion.

Increasingly, people are trying to reduce their carbon footprint on the world and live a green life all around — and that includes the way they build and renovate their homes. By the year 2020, half of all home builders estimate they'll be building and renovating 60 percent of homes to be greener.

Your first step if you want to go green during renovations is to hire a professional who knows how to create a green home. These people are well versed in the various products on the market and which ones are worth the money and which ones aren’t. A green pro will even tell you ways to dispose of your old materials you’ve pulled out of your house in a way that has minimum impact on the environment.

Although you may have already thought of using materials such as bamboo, which can be grown more quickly and has a lesser impact on the environment than some other flooring materials, there are actually a number of ways you can make your home greener.

Bamboo, cork and reclaimed wood are better options than carpet or hardwood flooring. Carpet can emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Bamboo and cork both regrow quickly, preventing issues with deforestation that come with some hardwoods. Obviously, reclaimed wood would be the best choice of all, since no new material is created when you use materials already in existence.

Bathrooms

There are several things you can do in a bathroom to remodel greener. For example, you can install low-flow toilets, which reduce water usage and help preserve the precious resource of water. Tiling can be made from recycled materials. While you may pay slightly more for these tiles, the overall cost won’t be that noticeable, since installation is at least half of the cost of installing tile.

The door should be made from recycled or sustainable wood or other materials and the suppliers should follow sustainability standards. On top of that, the door should be installed to ensure it is as energy efficient as possible. This may result in lower heating and cooling costs.

Roofing Materials

As much as 25 percent of the heat in your home escapes through the roof. There are some things you can do to reduce energy loss through your roof. You can use reflective materials in your roofing, such as paint or roofing tiles that will reflect the sun in the summer (keeping it cooler) and absorb heat in the winter (reducing heat loss).

Consider a metal roof, if you can afford the higher upfront costs and it will look okay with your home's design. A metal roof will last for around 50 years, so won't need to be replaced as often as an asphalt roof that needs to be replaced every 15-20 years. Today's metal roofs can almost mimic the look of tile roofs, too, if you prefer to go that route.

Energy Efficient Appliances

If you remodel a kitchen or replace washer, dryer, or water heater, look for appliances that have an Energy Star rating. The more energy efficient of an appliance you can afford, the more you’ll save in energy costs and the better the appliance will be for the environment.

Some of today’s washers reduce both water and electrical usage, making them doubly efficient. Although more efficient and newer appliances may cost a bit more upfront, you will wind up saving money on energy bills and staying true to your commitment to be greener.

These are just a handful of ways you can make sustainable renovations to your home. As you remodel, look for items that can be reused. Go to thrift and secondhand stores to purchase building materials and items that can be repurposed, such as using an old dresser to make an island for your kitchen. With a little creativity, you can save money and save the planet for future generations.

Bio:

Emily is a freelance writer, covering wildlife conservation, sustainability and green technology. To see her latest posts, check out her blog, Conservation Folks, or follow her on Twitter.

Every time we think we've nailed rainforests, having gained a good understanding their make-up, their function, their flora and fauna, some news comes along to show we really only know the tip of the iceberg.

As reported by Science magazine, it looks like the deadly disease Anthrax, rightfully feared across the world, is playing out its dreadful game in the beautiful Taï National Park in Ivory Coast. Anthrax is killing chimps, and Ph.D. student Fabian Leendertz and his team have been observing it happening. But this is no ordinary Anthrax. It's different, and it means an unexpected killer is on the rampage in the rainforest.

Chimps under threat from Anthrax

In a research paper published recently in the magazine ‘Nature', the team reveals how the Anthrax microbe, AKA Bacillus cereus, plays a vital but grim role in the rainforest's ecology. It causes a high percentage of mammal deaths and is thought to be threatening the chimpanzees in Taï to such an extent that they might actually go extinct.

All this is happening against a background where hunting and deforestation have already brought the local chimpanzee population to the very edge of extinction. Diseases like Anthrax and Ebola, as well as respiratory diseases introduced by humans, might tip them over the edge.

The B. anthracis microbe we know and fear usually kills wild animals in dry areas, not rainforests. The research team investigated, and soon linked the chimp deaths to the closely related B. cereus microbe, which is usually relatively benign. But the strain found in the Taï forest has morphed into something a lot more sinister, making it a formidable foe.

All 15 of the infected carcasses the team was able to study revealed the signs of a lethal Anthrax infection, including heavy bleeding and swollen lymph glands. But it also looks like some animals may merely act as carriers for the strain, with no symptoms developing.

Can the chimps of Tai survive?

Having simulated the new microbe's progress using a computer programme, the team showed that Anthrax has the potential to totally wipe out the Taï forest’s population of around 400 chimps within the next century and a half. Why it hasn’t already killed the animals off remains a mystery, but it looks like B. cereus has lived in the forest soils for a very long time.

While the standard anthrax vaccine protects against the Taï strain, there are signs that the vaccine might only be effective for a year, meaning that regular vaccinations would be needed. And nobody knows, yet, whether humans are immune, or how far the new pathogen has spread.

It is true that we are now living in a world where sustainability matter more than it ever has. For the change to really take place, big businesses should be making small changes to their packaging and product handling strategies.

Businesses like Exporta Global have been making an effort to improve their carbon footprint by recycling materials from euro containers and boxes. Recycling plastic saves twice as much energy as burning it in an incinerator, which proves this is a huge step in the right direction for product handling companies.

If you are small business that wants to make a change, the decision to make Eco-friendly choices is largely dependent on the storage and packaging you use. You too can invest in Eco-friendly storage options such as euro crates and storage containers.

Cut Cost with Recyclable Stacking Containers

Are you wasting hundreds of cardboard boxes every year? Sometimes, your stock will require better protection. If you are a small business that ships overseas, then it may be time for you to invest in professional product handling materials.

Buying euro containers in bulk is to save money. One of the biggest mistakes companies make is to buy cheap storage containers that aren’t eco-friendly, that will need replaced every other year. If you are serious about improving your environmental foot print is to invest in reliable storage like euro stacking containers.

Space is also a factor as euro stacking containers can save your business space/ Space costs money and by having more room, you will not need to purchase extra storage areas. Stackable boxes can easily fit on top of one another, this means that you can free up space while saving money.

Pallet Boxes

If you have a bigger business, then you may want to invest in pallet boxes. Collapsible pallet boxes are extremely sturdy, which make them one of the best ways for moving your business’ goods. There are many benefits of using collapsible plastic pallet boxes that can be recycled.

Fast turnaround of the delivery vehicle

Reduced labour

Reduced risk of worker injury

Goods in pallet boxes are better protected which means less waste

Pallet boxes can be stored more efficiently in warehouses

Investing in quality materials means that you will not need to keep refreshing your stock. Pallet boxes can be used time and time again, which makes them the perfect option for medium-large sized companies that want to become more sustainable.

Space may not be an issue for bigger business, however, if you have dealt with pallet boxes in the past, then you will know that double stacking in a container can save you a significant sum.

Eco-Friendly Business

Whether you are a big or small business there are lots of options when it comes to being a greener business. Your business and your customers can benefit from using Eco-friendly shipping containers. Remember to speak to a product handling advisor before you go ahead as there are different choices to consider depending on the type of business you own.

Being healthy does not require doctors and medical help as long as you take care of yourself at a most basic level. While the food will be your medicine, superfood will grant you superpowers of longevity, amazing immune system, and radiant younger look. It doesn’t even have to cost a fortune since you can have your own ‘’pharmacy’’ in the secret of your backyard, where you can have an unlimited feast on your medicine without any side effects. Growing these amazing fruits and veggies is fairly easy, so green up your fingers and supply your family with healthy bites.

Goji Berries

Related to tomatoes, these are enormously healthy and rich in nutrients that improve eyesight, boost the immune system and delays the aging process. Goji berries are easy to grow since they will make it on any soil type, as long as there is plenty of sunlight and regular watering. Goji starts fruiting in midsummer until the first frost in the fall and make sure to cut them by two-thirds each fall to keep the solid shape.

Quinoa

Rich in protein, amino acids, and anti-inflammatory phytonutrients, quinoa is more than beneficial in prevention and treatment of diseases. Although quinoa is proven to be difficult to grow for commercial use, you can grow this plant in the garden. The best time for planting quinoa is April when the ground starts warming. Place some well-rotted manure underneath and harvest it in the fall. Before rubbing the seeds, hang the plants to dry for a while.

Oregano

Even though used as a spice, oregano is full of nutrients that can boost immunity, improve heart, bones, and digestion. In addition to that, oregano has antibacterial properties and is highly beneficial in improving the functionality of metabolism. You can easily grow it indoors since it requires fairly moderate temperatures, a bit drier soil and six to eight hours of the sun.

Blueberries

A handful of blueberries a day will reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer, not to mention that they are a powerful antioxidant. Blueberries can thrive only in a full sun and well-drained soil. Consider planting them in raised beds to ensure drainage and add some organic fertilizer. Since they are shallow rooted plants, they require more water than rest of the fruits.

Broccoli

Since it is rich in vitamin C, fibers and folate, broccoli reduces the risk of heart diseases. It is a cool season crop, but it can be planted in spring also. Broccoli requires full sun, cool weather, rich soil and proper watering. For maintaining the moisture of the soil install Hoselink retractable hose reels in your garden, since it will provide the right level of moist during the sunny days while it won’t take too much space.

Sweet Potatoes

They are the most nutritional veggie out there full of minerals, fibers, and antioxidants. Sweet potatoes, aside from being delicious is a top source of vitamin A and which is more important, it is quite easy to grow. They can be grown in a poor soil as long as you are adding some organic compost and avoid watering them too much for they can easily rot.

Kale

A king of healthy greens, kale is packed with vitamins, minerals, fibers and numerous cancer-fighting substances. Kale is cold weather crop which tastes best after the frost. Kale prefers full sun, average fertility soil and well-drained but moist ground. Avoid planting the kale near beans, tomatoes or strawberries.

Ginger

A superfood worthy of its label, ginger is super healthy and can help in fighting various infections, inflammations, pains, and morning sickness. It also improves brain function and protects against Alzheimer's disease. Growing ginger is simple as long as you have rich soil and keep it away from direct sunlight. Also, ginger prefers humidity and moist ground, but avoid overwatering for it may drain away the nutrients.

Almost every fruit and veggie has a health elevating effect while the superfoods listed above is just a small part of Nature’s pharmacy. With some minimal effort and a little dirt on the hands, you can have a healthy treasure growing in your garden, providing the best quality food for yourself and your loved ones.

We use a wealth of paper but the majority of people seem to understand that it’s important to do so in a sustainable way. This infographic from Colourfast takes you through the progress we are making with recycling paper but also highlights the work that still needs to be done. America and Europe have both made incredible progress on this front in recent years which is great to see.

One point of note is that while paper is being recycled more, we still struggle to recycle other important items. Why it is that more paper is recovered than the total amount of glass, metal, and plastic recycled? This really needs to be examined closely.

However, it is of course still encouraging to see the progress we are making with paper recycling. More types of paper can perhaps be recycled than you think and you can learn about what can and can’t be recycled in the infographic. Check it out now.